'All he did was love me': Heartbreaking moment police shoot and kill dog that was defending owner when officers arrested him for FILMING them

Leon Rosby, 52, was walking his dog and video-tapping a police scene when he was arrested for obstruction of justice
He locked his dog in the car with the windows rolled down, and while being arrested the dog escaped
A police officer shot the dog when it ran over to his owner
Rosby is now in the process of filing a suit against the police department for killing his dog

By Ashley Collman

PUBLISHED: 23:08 EST, 1 July 2013 | UPDATED: 05:00 EST, 2 July 2013

A video posted yesterday on YouTube shows the grisly shooting of a dog by a police officer in Hawthorne, California.

The 130-pound, 3-year-old Rottweiler named Max was shot to death after he escaped through a window in a parked car and ran over to his master, Leon Rosby, who was being arrested for filming the scene on his phone.

The video (watch original on YouTube) shows Rosby, 52, walking his dog Sunday around 7 p.m. near a house with several police squad cars parked outside.

Ok, so... playing his music interfered with the officer's job. Possible. A dangerous situation that the owner brought his dog to... that was a bit stupid. Arrest for video taping/music? Dumb. Not allowing the owner to secure the animal safely ( not locking it in a car in the summer)... dumber. Claiming they shot the dog who was just being a dog in order to "protect the owner" from said dog? Dumbest.

I'm just saying... if I was going to interject myself into a potentially volatile situation I wouldnt bring my dog to it. And if it happened when my dog was with me, I would get him away from the situation. Ultimately, this sad event could have heen prevented with the utilization of a bit of good sense, not that it in any way excuses the actions and claims of the officers.

This video makes me sad. I don't like watching stuff like that. Hard to know where to weigh in on this. Did the guy create a scene.....yes. Did ANYONE there including the dogs owner think the dog was gonna rush out like that....probably not. Did the cop try to control the dog.....yes. Did the dog look like it was trying to bite the officer....yes. BUT....having spent 13 years in K9.....it wasn't going to bite the cop. But he didn't know that. This is one of those EVERYONE screwed up moments.

I think the shooting was unnecessary, at least at the point where it occurred. Being alone, waiting too long in a dangerous dog scenario could be life threatening. With the other officers there, the dog could have been shot if he clamped on. Obviously, no one wants to be the one clamped on but...

I can't tell if any of them try to use pepper spray. It works very well on most dogs and takes the fight out of them the same way it does people. Anytime I arrived at a residence with a loose dog of unknown temperament, I would have my pepper spray ready.

Obviously, we wouldn't even be talking about it if the man arrested had put his dog in the car and secured him there. Like most things, a lot of fail at multiple points.

He was the sort of person who stood on mountaintops during thunderstorms in wet copper armour shouting "All the Gods are bastards."

I could never shoot a dog. I've already made that known to my coworkers. I'd rather use pepper spray. Shooting would be an absolute last resort. Plus, I have a rottweiler and know that they (as well as other breeds) are just trying to protect their owner. If I were to shoot a rottweiler, I'd feel like I'm shooting my own dog. Some people (not just cops) are so quick to shoot a dog without trying other alternatives. To me a dog is like another person. An owner can love a dog almost as much as their own child.

"There is no hunting like the hunting of man. And those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter."-Ernest Hemingway

shademtarmory;108476 Wrote:I could never shoot a dog. I've already made that known to my coworkers. I'd rather use pepper spray. Shooting would be an absolute last resort. Plus, I have a rottweiler and know that they (as well as other breeds) are just trying to protect their owner. If I were to shoot a rottweiler, I'd feel like I'm shooting my own dog. Some people (not just cops) are so quick to shoot a dog without trying other alternatives. To me a dog is like another person. An owner can love a dog almost as much as their own child.

I shot a few. All of them were torn up by cars. It's not pleasant but it's part of the job.

He was the sort of person who stood on mountaintops during thunderstorms in wet copper armour shouting "All the Gods are bastards."